Sri Lanka vs West Indies, ICC CWC 2019 Match Highlights: Nicholas Pooran Century in Vain As SL Beat WI by 23 Runs

West Indies once again lost a match that they could have won or had it in their reach. Chasing 339 for victory after Avishka Fernando's hundred and Kusal Perera's 64 guided Sri Lanka to their highest score in the tournament, West Indies were going strong at one point, with a hundred by Nicolas Pooran and fifty by Fabian Allen, but the run-out and Lasith Malinga's three wicket-haul and Angelo Mathews dismissing Pooran restricted West Indies to 315/9 in 50 overs as Sri Lanka won by 23 runs.

Sri Lanka are almost there.

OUT! Malinga gets Oshane Thomas LBW. Thomas lbw b Malinga 1 run off 6 balls.

What an over that was from Angelo Mathews. He has completely changed the course off the game. Dismisses Nicolas Pooran for 118. West Indies now need 28 runs in 12 balls.

OUT! Nicolas Pooran is gone. Mathews gets his first ODI wicket since December 2017. And what a time to get it. Bowls one outside off, Pooran goes for it but ends up edging it. Keeper completes the catch. N Pooran c K Perara B A Mathews 118 runs off 103 balls. 

West Indies reach beyond 300. Nicolas Pooran is the key here. Isuru Udana has been expensive in his spell as well as this over. 31 runs needed off 18 balls.

Malinga bowling those deadly yorkers. However, a misjudgment in the field leads to a four and let off for Nicolas Pooran. But Malinga gets back strongly. West Indies requires 40 runs in 24 balls.

Nicolas Pooran has reached his hundred. However, he will lament that mix-up that resulted in the run-out of Fabian Allen. West Indies need 47 off 30 balls.

OUT! Just what the West Indies did not need at this stage. A horrible mix-up and Fabian Allen has to depart as he is run-out. Fabian Allen run out (Rajitha/Udana) 51 runs off 32 balls.

West Indies requires 57 runs in 36 balls. That's what the equation has come down to thanks to Fabian Allen and Nicolas Pooran's partnership.

Isuru Udana concedes nine runs in the over. Fabian Allen and Nicolas Pooran are giving West Indies are real chance here. Pooran nearing his century but that will be the last thing on his mind.

Kasun Rajitha bowls the 42nd over. Goes for runs as Fabian Allen and Nicolas Pooran giving Sri Lanka a scare here. WI 262/6 in 42 Overs (Target 339).

West Indies are beginning to believe now. de Sliva gives 11 runs in the over as Pooran smacks him for a six over the deep square leg.

Nicolas Pooran (83),  Fabian Allen (30) are staging a fightback here. The duo have added 44 runs in the last five overs. West Indies need 93 runs off the last 10 overs.

The West Indies have reached 200 but they are far behind the asking rate. The Caribbean team have lost six wickets reaching 200. They still need another 139 runs to win the match.

West Indies have once again suffered from top order failure. At the end of 30 overs, West Indies are 159/5 in 30 overs with Carlos Brathwaite and Nicolas Pooran out there in the middle. West Indies need 180 runs off 120 balls to win the match.

OUT! Jason Holder dismissed for 26 runs. Vandersay bowls a leg-break, Holder tries to go for the big one but ends up finding Jeevan Mendis near mid-on. Holder c (sub)J Mendis b Vandersay 26 runs off 26 balls.

Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran are looking to rebuild the West Indies innings here. At the half-way stage, West Indies are 126/4 in 25 overs. They need another 213 runs in 150 balls to win the match.

Wickets Indies are facing a huge target of 339 runs but they have already lost 4 wickets for less then 100 at the end of 20 overs. Not the kind of start the West Indies would have wanted. 

OUT! Shimron Hetmyer tries to take an impossible run. A direct throw by Dhananjaya hits the wickets and that's four down for West Indies. Hetmyer run out (Dhananjaya de Silva) 29 runs off 38 balls.